THE SEPTEMBER 2016 TRANSPORThe journal of the RMTU – NZ'sT largest WORKER specialist transport union Honouring fallen workers 2 CONTENTS EDITORIAL ISSUE 3 • SEPTEMBER 2016 13 KIWIRAIL'S INCONSISTENCIES GS Wayne Butson writes an open letter to KiwiRail CEO Peter Reidy about their hypocritical position regarding electric vehicles. Wayne Butson General secretary 15 NEW PICTON HOIST RMTU Kic team welcomes advances in cooperation and the new giant hoist for Picton. Disappointing suburban rail 19 RAIL WELDING MACHINE changeover New facility in HERE are some things we take for granted in the RMTU and one is that we Auckland for mostly deal with employers who want to have a meaningful relationship welding rail could with the union of choice of its workers so they play the employment game be a fore by the rules and pretty fairly. That is not to say that there aren't occasions runner for similar when we have to blow the whistle and call a penalty or ask for a manager to be sent Tfrom the field of play but, by and large, things go according to plan. machines in the South Island. It has therefore been a disappointing, but not wholly unexpected, reawakening to the trickery of some employers for us since 3 July 2016. This is when Transdev Wellington and their sub contractor partner Hyundai Rotem (THR) were handed the keys to the Wellington suburban trainset. Despite working with them for more than three months in the run up to the handover and laboriously working through the mechanics of achieving the "same or more favour- COVER PHOTOGRAPH: Paying respects at able" (S or MF) terms and conditions of employment for our members, it was truly Strongman Mine Disaster Memorial are Ian amazing to behold how quickly they set about trying to change what was just agreed. Walker, Luke James and Mike Williams. See Change that is, in a wholly unlawful, unilateral manner with no consideration to page 9 for other South Island roundup the mutually agreed requirements of the MECA or the S or MF terms and conditions of photos. employment around meaningful consultation or items requiring mutual agreement. We have, of course, cried foul and the employer eventually apologised and/or withdrew their proposal, but such behaviour is disappointing nonetheless. The Transport Worker is published by the Be vigilent Rail & Maritime Transport Union, P O Box 1103, Wellington, Members have been warned that the price of maintaining terms and conditions Aotearoa-New Zealand. which they had previously fought for is vigilance and immediate enforcement and this Design and production by Mike Regan. is working but this is no way to build a meaningful and lasting relationship in my view. Printed by Thames Publications Ltd, What is equally disappointing is that the vast majority of managers, supervisors P O Box 11-025, Wellington. and team leaders were all in similar roles with KiwiRail and they KNOW that such unilateral behaviour is not on and yet went along with what the new senior manag- WWW RMTUNION ORG NZ ers were pushing. The MECA was recently ratified by members and so we have our terms and condi- The Transport Worker September 2016 Worker The Transport ISBN 1173-6488 tions (those we fight to retain during the term of the document) locked away until LETTERS 3 expiry in July 2017 and we have time to educate, train and prepare Retirements for the next negotiations. Dear Editor, We achieved our goal of ensuring an orderly transfer with as little I wish to resign as a union member after nine years stress for members as possible but we all have to remember that this 11 months. uncertainty is what the National-led government wanted. I would like to thank the Union for their support In 2011, Cabinet approved the introduction of a new framework and help and I would also like to thank Carey for the provision of urban rail, bus and ferry services, known as the Sullivan for the support and hard work he Public Transport Operating Model. The model was implemented put in to obtain my medical retirement. through a combination of operational and legislative changes. Peter Horne. The legislative components of the model were established in the Land Transport Management Amendment Act 2013 which came into Dear Editor force on 13 June 2013. I started in the railways on 24/1/1967 as an apprentice fitter The model is supposed to achieve the government's goal for when unions were the RTA plus the NUR and was also the year public transport which is to grow patronage with less reliance on of a strike for margins of skill for the RTA. subsidies. The Government stated that the model was developed The 49 years and just over five months have passed really quickly with two overarching objectives: for me up to my retirement on Friday 1/7/2016. n to grow the commerciality of public transport services and create It has been like a great train journey that has now come to an incentives for services to become fully commercial; and end. n to grow confidence that services are priced efficiently and there My career high was a trip to Hungary for the Ganz Mavag pas- is access to public transport markets for competitors. senger trains. They say that the model is a planning, procurement and busi- The career low was a bad experience on an IEA with a happy ness development framework. A key feature of it is an emphasis on return to the CEA! regional councils and operators taking a partnering approach to the I have met and worked with a lot of great people during my planning and delivery of public transport services in regions. This career, of all races and ages, and I wish those remaining all the will be achieved through mechanisms such as collaborative business best and to keep the wheels turning. planning, joint investments, and financial incentives. This approach Finally, with my retirement I must resign from the RMTU and recognises that both parties have a stake in it and are reliant on each so to our Union leaders, present and past, and its members, in other for delivering affordable public transport services that people simple terms: Thank you all. want to use. Ray Kai Regional elections in the spotlight #65406. The Ministry of Transport led the development of the model in Dear Editor collaboration with the NZ Transport Agency, Auckland Transport, This letter is to formally let you know that after 36 years working Greater Wellington Regional Council, Environment Canterbury, the for New Zealand Railway in some form or another, I am leaving Bus and Coach Association and operator representatives. the company and the RMTU. What happens with our rail members in Wellington and Auckland Most of my time here I have been happy working alongside a will hinge upon the approach of the respective regional councils. As great team of people whom I could have a good laugh with, as this issue of the Transport Worker goes to print we are in the process well as get the job done. of local body elections and those elected will play a lead role in the This is a great industry to work in (cliché now, but true) and approach that will be taken to deliver "a fully commercial service". going forward even though Metro have a new company name, That is to say a service without subsidy and given that labour costs are it all comes down to what each individual chooses to make of a significant component of the service provision in public transport every day on the job with their fellow work mates. This will September 2016 Worker The Transport it is essential that union members are active participants in the local either make it a success story or not. body elections. I wish all the team success and happiness in the future. Find out which candidates favour public transport and are not Brent Goodman. interested in slashing wages and conditions – by-products of the lowest tender outcome of the PTOM model. Dear Editor, The price of maintaining what we have now will be not just union I have asked David Marden to tender my resignation as of today membership it will also be activism and a willingness to stand up for Monday 1 August 2016, to be final as of Friday 12 August 2016, what you are entitled to – and are worth. as per the collective agreement which asks for two weeks’ notice. The process begins with assessing the candidates, offering to help It is with respect that I thank you for the terms and conditions I those which are supportive of organised labour, voting and getting leave under, it is appreciated. It has been a 46 year career at the active within your Union! port but I have chosen today to head into retirement. We are stronger together – but we are stronger still if we are Jock McLeod all active Union members. Port of Napier Ltd. 4 OPINION Port should be publicly owned By Gren Christie HERE is a chance Napier Port could slip from the control and owner- ship of the Hawke's Bay people and TI firmly believe this is an issue we should care about. The port needs to be 100 per cent in public ownership for the following reasons: 1. The dividend helps keep Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC) rates low. If profits were diverted to private sharehold- ers the HBRC would need to make up the shortfall through rate increase, a reduction of services or pile more debt onto the port.